Phoenix Rising
by YFate
Summary: Not everyone is happy with the winner of the Demon World Tournament. A new darkness rises out of the east, threatening the fragile new kingdom, and our heroes find themselves thick in the fray.  Various crossover pairings.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, etc., of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit.

**PHOENIX RISING**

Summary: Not everyone is happy with the winner of the Demon World Tournament. A new darkness rises out of the east, threatening the fragile new kingdom, and Sango, Hiei and Kurama find themselves thick in the fray.

_A/N: So here it 'tis, the second installment in my IY/YYH crossover series begun with "The Heart Within." This story can stand on its own, though, without needing to read the first. =)_

WARNING! SPOILERS FOR YYH THE THREE KINGS SAGA AND INUYASHA, ANIME AND MOVIES UP TO, BUT NOT INCLUDING, "THE FINAL ACT" RELEASE (THIS WILL BE THE ONLY WARNING GIVEN)

THIS CHAPTER IS ALSO SERVED WITH LEMONS (LIME ON FFNET,) SO DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE UNDER 17!

_Words_

_Ningenkai - Human World_

_Reikai - Spirit World_

_Makai - Demon World_

_Youkai - demon, or apparition (English terms are used interchangeably)_

_Hanyou - half-demon_

_Miko - priestess_

_Taijiya - demon slayer_

_Inu - dog_

_**Chapter One**_

"I still can't believe everything that's happened," Kagome said, curling up on one end of their shared sofa and absently fiddling with a piece of her long, black hair.

Sitting sideways facing her best friend, Sango could only smile as she hugged her knees. "It's all so incredible, isn't it? To be honest, I never thought I would see you again."

"Me, too." Kagome gave her friend a tremulous smile. "Inuyasha and I thought you had died along with everyone else."

"I nearly did," Sango answered quietly, lowering her eyes. For a long moment, both girls thought of all the friends they had lost. Miroku's memory still hurt, as did the poignant loss of her beloved fire-cat, Kirara, and her little brother, Kohaku.

"Does it bother you, Kagome, to know that I…took Kagura's heart? That it's now a part of me?" Sango asked, her earnest brown eyes searching her friend's. This was the first chance the two women had been able to talk in private, after all the excitement of earlier that evening as they reunited after - for what seemed to Kagome, and was, literally, for Sango - five hundred years.

"Why should it?" Kagome asked, truly bewildered by Sango's question. She shrugged. "I mean, it's a bit weird to think of _you_ being a wind hanyou. Or that you've been living for the past five hundred years. I can't even begin to imagine what that must have been like, how it might have changed you. I keep wondering if I might be…I dunno…immature, I guess. Childish, somehow, to you."

Sango laughed. "No, Kagome, _that_ you could never be. At least, not to me."

The reunited friends clasped hands, squeezing lightly to renew the promise of their deep love and respect for one another. There were some people, Sango reflected, whose company it felt you never left, no matter how much time had passed.

Although there were subtle differences in their old closeness. They were still hesitant, feeling each other out, but that reserve was already dissolving under Kagome's natural warmth. There had always been something about the young miko that was soothing to one's spirit. As if, by her mere presence, your own burdens seemed lighter.

Perhaps it was the girl's spiritual energy, which was rather tangible. It shimmered around the girl, bathing her in an incandescent glow when the taijiya used her astral sight. Always powerful, Kagome's spiritual energy had grown in relation to her strength and training under the formidable old priestess, Genkai. The same priestess who had once trained Yusuke Urameshi, whose Detective gig Kagome was going to be taking over.

But there was a palpable difference between Kagome's spiritual energy and Yusuke's. Where his was the fire of youth, hers was the light whisper of a gentle spring breeze. It reached out, soothing and healing, like the first gentle breezes after a hard winter's thaw. There was life to it, young life, with all its eternal hope and optimism.

But there was more to it than that. Kagome's energy, while sweet and pure, was also strong and steady. It could rend as well as heal, and that springtime warmth could be turned into the more deadly tornado-like force of Sango's wind-borne nature - now that she was a wind-changeling, thanks to her hasty heart transplant.

Gaining Kagura's heart had granted Sango abilities she had never imagined - and strange influences she was still trying to cope with, even after all these the longest time, Sango had denied her dual heritage, subsuming the demonic for the human. It was only yesterday - was that really how little time had passed, she mused, so much had happened since then - that she had finally come to terms with both her nature and her love.

"Do you miss him?" Kagome suddenly asked. "Miroku?"

Sango's brown eyes turned opaque as her thoughts turned inward, painful memories stirring. "Yes," she finally said, gaze distant. "Even now."

"Those two demons…" Kagome began, trying to ask what she could not bring herself to say. If they were worthy of her best friend, a fitting substitute to the handsome young monk they had both known and loved.

"Hiei and Kurama?" Sango smiled softly. The emotion in her eyes nearly took Kagome's breath away. That Sango, seriously reserved _Sango_, was capable of revealing such depths of tenderness - Kagome could only grin.

"Wow. They must really be worth something, to get that kind of look out of _you_," she teased lightly, and Sango flushed.

"Well, it's all still a bit new and even a little overwhelming. I've - known them for a while now, but it was only yesterday, really, that we…well…that is…uh…"

"Became mates?" Kagome's look turned wicked. It was not something Sango would have expected to see on the "innocent" miko. She raised an inquisitive brow and it was Kagome's turn to blush. "Well, of course, you know Inuyasha and I, we were always going to be together. Losing everyone so suddenly like that - well."

Kagome shrugged uneasily, trying to hide the pain that belief must have caused her. Naraku's death must have been a bitter triumph for the modern-day miko and her inu hanyou lover. The cost of all their friends, who Kagome and Inuyasha had thought died in that horrendous last battle, and the sealing of the time-spanning well behind them, so that they were unable to travel back to the Sengoku Jidai to find out who _had_ - must have been awful. Even Naraku's final fate had been uncertain - except that the completed Shikon no Tama had come through time with Kagome.

Wounded and near death herself, the young priestess had been in no shape to try to return. By the time she got out of the hospital, all hope had died of the Bone-Eater's Well ever opening again, its link to the past severed by the Jewel now returned to Kagome's time and currently resting in Spirit World's secured vaults.

For months Kagome and Inuyasha had mourned, until word came from the most unlikely of sources. For Lord Sesshoumaru had survived, though he now lived in Canada with Rin and Shippou, who had mated in the intervening five hundred years, and had children of their own. Although Kagome had yet to see the kits, there had been many phone calls back and forth between the young miko and her beloved fox demon.

It was unreal to Sango, that little Shippou had survived that battle. That Lord Sesshoumaru had taken the wounded orphan in, just as he had the little girl Rin two years before. That the little fox was now grown, with kits of his own - well, she had lived through those five centuries, too, but sitting here with Kagome, it felt like no time had passed. It must feel surreal to Kagome as well, for Sango had changed little herself in the intervening years. Well, except for her much shorter hair, which she had gotten cut roughly four months ago. But it was Youko, Kurama's demon fox form, who had told her the little known secret, that changelings such as herself did not age as normal demons. That by their very transformation, they kept the physical appearance they had had when they were first changed into a demon.

There were drawbacks to that, as Sango was well aware. Although the scars of those five centuries she wandered alone, searching for her little brother and the evil Naraku - who had fled into Demon World, taking Kohaku with him - would never show on her skin, still they were there, inside her heart and laid across her soul. She didn't know if she could ever tell Kagome what those long, dark years had meant, so lost in anger and bitterness, her mind consumed so much in vengeance that she often went mad, losing years to that very darkness that had seethed throughout her restless searching.

It was only in the last year that Sango had finally found peace, reconciling herself to Kohaku's loss and Naraku's ignoble end, and not at her hand. No, _that_ satisfaction had been denied her. And it had almost killed the taijiya, in shattered spirit and wounded pride. But it was those friends she had made over the past year - Hiei and Kurama, Yusuke and Jin and all the others, who had helped her to find a new reason to look beyond the bitterness and finally find a place for herself in the Demon World that had become, over the last year, her adopted home.

But that tale had already been shared between the two women, in the earlier excitement as those from both past and present gathered in Prince Koenma's rooms to share their stories. There were still gaps - for there hadn't been much time to share personal details, Kagome reflected, like how Sango had fallen in love with two such disparate demons as Hiei and Kurama. Or how she, herself, had come to the attention of Spirit World through a chance meeting with Kuwabara, and had trained so hard for the past year under the relentless tyranny of old Genkai.

And Kagome had yet to meet the former Spirit Detective who had been Genkai's first student. Yusuke Urameshi lay unconscious in the hospital, his body shutting down to repair the injuries sustained in his earlier fight with a demon named Yomi for some worldwide karate tournament currently going on. The soft-spoken fox demon, Kurama, had called it "hibernation." The others seemed to take it for granted, although Kagome was still trying to figure out what the heck _that_ was all about. She still couldn't believe she was _here_, in Demon World, with Sango and Kouga, and a disparate crew that went from the strange to the stranger.

Like meeting demons who were both scary, powerful and tiny. From a grouchy skunk demon naturally called "Skunk" to an elegant elf lord, who seemed to know an awful lot about Sango. That Prince Koenma, the son and heir of King Yama and her would-be boss, knew Hiei and Kurama, that even Botan had worked with the two demons, who had been a part of Team Urameshi.

But there was more to it than that. Regardless of the sudden reunion between old friends and new, there was still the imminent threat of the Demon World Tournament being played out even as they all sat around and talked late into the night. Some of those demons, of the highest caliber "Super-A", or "S" class of Spirit World's designation, were _still_ fighting, some half-a-day later, and looked as if they wouldn't stop anytime soon.

Frankly, the very idea that some of those demons had been fighting for more than twelve hours now was completely unreal to Kagome. She had trained hard over the past year under the demanding guidance of Genkai. She had finally mastered her own spiritual powers as a result, but she wondered what that kind of demonic power might mean for Human World. For the very fate of all three worlds - Human, Demon, and Spirit - rested on the outcome of this tournament, where the winner took all Makai as the prize.

Suggested by Yusuke as a way to stop the civil unrest that threatened to swamp all Demon World up into a war that made Ningenkai's World War II look like children bickering over toys, the Great Tournament was supposed to pit fighter against fighter until the last one standing won the crown by default. It was a very demonic - and Yusuke, Prince Koenma wryly added - thing to do.

But the outcome was in no way certain, for their - or, Spirit and Human World's, rather - main proponents were now out of the running. Hiei, Kurama, others like Jin and Touya, and the other youkai Kagome had met while training under Genkai, even Sango, and now Yusuke, in the fifth round, had all been defeated.

And that didn't leave Spirit World with many good options. For the ambitious Lord Yomi and the violent traditionalist, Lady Mukuro, were still in the running, as were too many of the powerful unknowns that had appeared at the start of the tournament. It was all twisted up and confusing to Kagome, who could hardly keep all the new names straight, let alone the intricate power struggles and larger worlds-wide significance that were twisted up in all this mess. She just knew that Prince Koenma was deeply worried, especially with Yusuke now out of the picture. The stakes were twice as high, for no one really knew what might happen once the winner took the throne. And if Makai's new king decided that a good way to unite the various factions was to turn their attentions - and hunger - on Human World, who was there, really, to stop them?

Well, there was her. And Inuyasha, of course. He would never let demons just rage all over the place without trying to do something about it. But Kagome - who had seen what demons could do, back in the Sengoku Jidai - shrank from the thought of what they might do to the modern world, so blissfully unaware of even their existence. She didn't want to see the destruction of all she held dear.

But she would stand, and fight, as she ever had to do. And she knew there were now others who would stand with her. Sango, and those strange two who always seemed to be near the slayer - for here they were, even now slipping inside the room, the red-haired fox with an apologetic smile, the short, grumpy one with an angry scowl.

How Sango could tolerate _that_ one was beyond Kagome. He looked as approachable as a grizzly bear, and about as huggable as barbed wire. There was a darkness to his aura that sent shivers down the miko's spine. There was something that hovered around him, some touch of the Netherworld. It was as if he drew some power from the very pits of hell to add to the fire, ever raging, that was his elemental nature.

He had barely said - or growled, rather, since that seemed all he was capable of doing - two words the entire evening, though his scathing red eyes had barely left Sango for a second. He had not even joined in the group, only taking up a deceptively relaxed pose against the wall behind Sango's chair. It was the other demon, the strange fox youkai, Kurama, who had easily taken up their side of the story. Leaning indolently against one arm of the couch, the handsome fox had shown Kagome nothing but polite courtesy, even able to smoothly disarm Inuyasha's reflexive animosity as he reiterated their part in the adventure.

No, Kurama was as different from Hiei as day was to night. Uneasy in the fire demon's presence, Kagome found herself frankly enjoying the fox's company. He had all the qualities one could wish in their best friend's boyfriend - handsome, sophisticated, soft-spoken and solicitous.

But there was no denying that Kurama, too, was all demon. There was a guarded calculation in the back of his green eyes that didn't fool Kagome in the least. But Kurama's natural courtesy had soon dissolved her fears, as did the unconscious way Sango had simply reached up and touched his hand when he'd idly rested it against the back of her chair. That gesture was far more telling than any other, and Kagome was reassured once again in the way Sango's eyes lit up as the two demons entered the room.

"Sango," the taller one began, his green eyes apologetically flicking to Kagome and then back to the slayer, "I'm sorry to impose, but we - "

"It's late," the short one interrupted, glowering.

_'Well, ain't we just Mr. Sunshine. What an arrogant jerk,' _Kagome thought, bristling. If Inuyasha had even tried something like that with her, she'd sit him into next week.

"KA-GO-MAY!"

Wincing for the bellow that must have awoken everyone within a hundred mile radius, Kagome sighed.

The door bounced back off of the wall as Inuyasha strode through, looking sour and cute all at the same time. "Where the hell have you been, bitch?"

"Inuyasha," Kagome bit out, letting her fury show through the glitter in her brown eyes.

Uh-oh. The inu hanyou started backpedaling, much to the amusement of everyone else in the room, hands raised as if he could fend off the inevitable.

"_Sit_, boy!"

ooOOOoo

"That's quite the leash the miko has on her mate," Kurama said, amused as the two fell to quarrelling in raised voices as they left the sitting room.

"Hn," was Hiei's sour opinion of the whole matter.

"They'll be at it for some time," Sango said, her soft smile indulgent.

"Well, then, we'd best go. It'll be dawn soon."

"I hadn't realized it was so late," Sango said, stretching a bit. She was unaware of how the unconscious movement arched her spine and threw her breasts up in a way that heated Hiei's eyes. "Sorry."

"No problem," Kurama hastily reassured her as Hiei glowered behind her back. Kurama narrowed his eyes on the impatient fire demon as he deliberately intenerated, "We understand you needed some time with your friend."

Hiei scowled, abruptly vanishing as they crossed the quiet expanse of Prince Koenma's deserted suite.

"Hiei?" Sango asked, troubled by the abrupt way he had disappeared, using his unearthly speed to leave.

"Don't worry about him," Kurama reassured her, smoothly slipping an arm about the taijiya's narrow waist. "You know he never likes being around large groups of strangers. He's also new to the idea of us being mated. It will take time for his protective instincts to wear off."

"Oh." Sango still looked troubled. "Really, Kurama, I hadn't even thought about it. So much has happened, I forget that…we…"

Kurama shrugged. "It will take time for all of us to adjust," he casually said, though he wouldn't admit his own unreasonable jealousythat the taijiya's attention had been all for her friends, and not for her new mates. Which was unworthy of the slayer, for he knew she loved them as much as they loved her. Still, it was something hard to explain to his more bestial instincts, which were closer now that he and Youko were united as one. Emotions were closer to the surface than ever before as a result of that unity, and Kurama's more logical side was still trying to wrestle with that byproduct of the sudden change within him.

_'Aren't we all, really,'_ he thought, smiling softly down at the slayer. She didn't even realize how beautiful she was, or how much a gift it felt to have his arm thrown about her waist. She smelled right, a mix of sunlight and clean, windswept heights, a linger of brimstone and the damp earth that was his and Hiei's own scents wrapped up in hers. Kurama couldn't explain to anyone how _right_ that felt, how much like coming home.

Sango feathered a careless hand through her short, black hair, and Kurama wondered if the taijiya knew how arousing even that absent gesture was to in jeans and a light blue hoodie, with dark circles under her eyes and her shoulders sagging a bit as all the excitement of the evening wore off, she was even more beautiful than she had been in battle, when she had faced the formidable Koku and united her wind-borne nature with her human chi to form an awesome display of force that had fair taken his breath away.

"You're slow," was Hiei's impatient growl as they finally emerged from Prince Koenma's spacious suite. Leaning against the wall, he turned with an abrupt movement and led the way to their own suite on the other side, and two floors down, of the hotel. Stalking in front of them, every hard line simmered with the fire demon's bad mood, and even Kurama forebode commenting on it. He didn't know what was bothering the apparition so much.

Maybe it was just all the anxiety Koenma had done a poor job of hiding about the final outcome of the Great Tournament. But then, the de facto prince and heir-apparent of all Spirit Word would have cause for concern, should the lot fall to one of the more aggressive demons still striving for that particular accolade. Beneath all the celebration of reunited friends was the underlying tension of what this tournament might bring, now that Yusuke was out of the running.

Kurama grimaced. He, himself, hadn't really given much thought to the broader significance of this tournament, so wrapped up in his own petty concerns. He had used the tournament for his own, selfish reasons. Revenging himself on that diabolical surgeon, Shigure, for the terrible price he'd demanded of those dearest to him, as well as settling for once and all who, inthe end, would win - he or Youko.

It still baffled Kurama how neatly the fox-spirit had played him, right up until the end. For Kurama had been willing to sacrifice himself to free the former thief, which had been the fox-spirit's intention all along. Fleeing injurious death at the hands of Spirit World agents, Youko had joined with the soul of an unborn human child, and thus created Kurama - who lived as a gifted student named Shuichi Minamino in Human World, but used his fox-granted mastery over plants and demon energy to help Yusuke Urameshi protect the Ningenkai he'd adopted as his own for so many years.

But Kurama could not keep his demonic instincts at bay forever, and knew that the crucial day would come when he would have to decide whether he or Youko - the formidable, thousand-year-old demon who shared his body - would prevail. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought Youko would deliberately submit his personality to his; the fox demon's intention had always been to emerge eventually, making them one but with _his_ will and personality dominant.

But the ancient fox spirit had deceived Kurama, just as he was willing and ready to give up his life for that purpose, knowing that he had, at least, satisfied the revenge necessary on the evil chirurgeon who had preformed the organ transplants that had given Sango her wind-demoness's heart and Hiei his Jagan Eye. Ready to lay down his life, and yes, even his soul, Kurama had been the last to expect that Youko would turn the tables on him, and subsume himself within Kurama's awareness, so that they were now two as one, instead of two, distinctly separate entities.

There were consequences to that, as Kurama was still learning. His emotions were so much closer to the surface, and his demonic instincts, as well as abilities, were so much stronger now that he was a full demon. Powerful, yes, he was now as powerful as he had ever wished, but still, there was that part of Youko that now tainted his own thoughts, twisting through his personality in devious ways. He might never learn just how much was still his, and how much of him was now Youko.

But coming on the heels of that surprising revelation was the even more stunning discovery that his secret yearning and admiration for both the fire demon and slayer were readily returned. The gift of their love - it was still so new, so humbling, and yet so completely _right_. But there was still that hesitancy - as they each had yet to learn so much about the others, making tighter those bonds formed through hardship and difficulty that only time and understanding might bring.

He was still uncertain how welcome even his touch might be to the fire demon, who was not, when all was said and done, attracted to men. But Hiei - simple, uncomplicated Hiei, would welcome it for Kurama's sake, if not his own. But Kurama did not want the demon to merely suffer his touch only because _he_ wanted it. That was as distasteful as the thought of taking Sango unwilling, a virtual rape of the delicate intimacy they all shared.

Easier was it to turn to the slayer, then, to ease his arousal, which was not all for Hiei, but for both of them. Youko had always been rather free with his affections, neither caring male or female, and Kurama had always been as open as the fox-spirit to that possibility. He found the slayer's lithe curves as delightful as Hiei's hard strength. They were both such a study in contrasts, while still retaining a superficial similarity. Both so passionate and stubborn, even if Sango managed to hide hers a little better than the blunt fire apparition. Roughly the same height, Sango stood an inch above Hiei, but his gravity-defying hair gave him the appearance of being taller, as did the solid weight of his sturdy frame, his wide shoulders easily twice the width of the slender slayer's.

But Sango's softness was deceptive, for it hid a hard core of steely strength. Sango was as much a warrior as either of them, and her body was laced with the scars she had gained before her transformation into a wind-hanyou. Testament to her fierce will and inner strength, the scars bore their own tale of a hard life and struggle to be what she was in a time when women were not typically allowed to own property, let alone take up weapons to defend their homes and fellow people.

Kurama would have liked to have met the man who had been so open to new ideas that he would train his only daughter in the ancient art of demon slaying. But Sango's father had been killed by the very brother she had come to Demon World seeking, the very one who had been lost to her five hundred years before when she had made the desperate decision to use Kagura's heart to follow them.

But that chapter in the slayer's life was already closed, though who knew how those dark years as she searched in vain for her brother and the evil hanyou who had destroyed her clan had shaped the slayer into the woman he loved today. Kurama smiled ironically. The gods alone knew what inner demons, he, himself, had yet to deal with. He was hardly one to wonder what the choices and chances of life brought another to where they were right now.

Which was, if he was correct, to the very door of their hotel suite. Officiously named the "Harem Suite," the rooms were decorated in an hedonistic vision of a sultan's palace - or the demonic interpretation of one. Violent colors clashed with plump pillows and curved archways, the furniture heavy and dark when not covered in brilliant brocades and silks. Thick carpets softened their feet, and incense hung heavy in the rooms, making Kurama wrinkle his nose as the near reek of it.

Slipping free of his arm as Hiei held open the door, Sango yawned sleepily as she entered the suite. The fire demon caught her free wrist as she passed, jerking the distracted slyer to him with a hard pull, and kissed her, his desire hot and flaring. Surprised, Sango stiffened, but then the heat of the fire demon's talented mouth worked its heady magic on her, and she softened into him, curling her body around his. Hiei's strong arms came around her, and Kurama watched with ironic forbearance, that Hiei would dare what he would not. At least - not yet. He was still too cautious of the slayer's human frailty to let his more aggressive instincts out, but was conscious of the distinct flush to his skin as his own eyes heated at the pure eroticism of Hiei's dominance.

Hiei growled, something too low for Kurama to make out, and Sango turned her head, her dark eyes full of something that drew Kurama like a magnet to their side. She reached a calloused hand up to lightly caress his cheek, and Kurama bent his red head over hers, his lips seeking hers in a gentle, lingering kiss.

"Kurama…" she whispered into the heat of his mouth, and knit her fingers through his long, red hair as Hiei tugged impatiently at her clothes. She let the fire demon undress her, giving all her attention to the fox as her hoodie was pulled down her arms. She hopped from one foot to the other in a lopsided dance as her sneakers were yanked off that had Kurama smiling against her lips even as he curled his fingers along the bottom of her T-shirt and edged it upwards...

ooOOOoo

Kurama, moved by tenderness for those he loved, slid down the bed, dragging the blanket with him. Shoving pillows out of the way, he deftly swirled the blanket over all three of them as he tucked himself around the two. Sango rose a bit, so she could share a sleepy kiss as he curled over her. Lightly nuzzling the top of her sweaty head, Kurama rested his chin on her shoulder, and felt Hiei lightly brush his hip with one arm as he turned slightly, nestling his cheek into the slayer's breast as sleep finally overtook them.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, etc., of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit.

**PHOENIX RISING**

Summary: Not everyone is happy when Enki wins the Demon World Tournament. A new darkness rises out of the east, threatening the fragile new kingdom, and our heroes find themselves thick in the fray.

_A/N: Sakyo's last name was never mentioned in the anime, and even Wikipedia has him listed simply as "Sakyo N." I chose "Nakamura," which is a fairly common last name. I'm also introducing some more minor characters from both series, just to see where it all goes. =P _

Words

Onna - woman

Mo nighean donn - Gaelic for "my brown-haired girl"

_**Chapter Two**_

She was never one for daydreams, though her father had spun fairy tales like spider webs, as she and her little brother curled around him like puppies, sleepily content as his light drawl drew fanciful tales of heroes and maidens, swords and magic. But she knew those tales were only for children, that the romance spun in a web of lies to entertain kids hid the darker secret of their very real existence. For she knew there were real monsters in this world, monsters who had no problem eating humans and making mayhem, and there existed few heroes to stop them. Rarely did the champion defeat the bad guy, get the girl and the requisite kiss and ride happily into ever after.

Life wasn't like that. Life was the mundane things, the day to day things, like dirty socks, overdue bills and the high tuition for a brother who felt bad she was paying so much for the school she'd pushed him into. Life was trudging from one job to the next, hoping her tips would be better than yesterday's, that there would be enough left over to maybe get a pizza on the way home rather than having to make dinner after a long day. Life was scurrying from one train to the next, with all the other rats in this daily race that didn't end until well after dark, when she came home to flop down on the couch, her feet hurting and her temples pounding as she exhaled the lacy smoke with a sigh from her lit cigarette.

Some might call her a hero, for giving up her scholarship to a good college and sacrificing her own life to take care of her knuckleheaded brother after their parents had died in that car accident. She was barely eighteen, he just fourteen, when the cops came to abruptly change their world. Her bright hopes for the future were cashed in for his, as there was no one else, none that she knew of, anyway. Their grandmother, back in Ireland, had died when she was still young and Kazuma but a baby. Their mother had no brothers and sisters, and their father had never spoken of any, either. There was just the two of them, and she wasn't going to abandon Kazuma to foster homes while she selfishly went to school. There was no help for it, and so she'd willingly shouldered the burden of raising a boy who dealt with his helplessness at their parents' death and his difficulties in school by applying his fists.

Those first years had been hard. She'd had to concentrate on making money, paying bills. She'd kept the house by the skin of her teeth, working two, sometimes three, jobs to provide some stability for her little brother in a world that was suddenly so uncertain. Going to cosmetology school at night, she wasn't at home as much as she should have been, maybe, to keep an eye on Kazuma. But she'd finally been able to quit that stupid retail job to make a little more money cutting hair, and could reduce her second job, waiting tables, to a few nights a week.

She didn't mind the work. She'd always worked hard, yet another tenet her father had instilled in her along with things like loyalty and pride, and a solid integrity she was proud Kazuma, at least, still held. She carefully nurtured that simple faith in her brother - that right and wrong were black and white, and that good _did_ triumph over evil in the end. She knew the world was gray, that sometimes things just didn't work out, but Kazuma's faith somehow made up for her own cynicism, his trust her suspicion. That by protecting and nurturing him with her own sacrifice she made it all - worth it, somehow.

Not that it was a sacrifice. God knows she wasn't the best parent for her baby bro. She didn't have the saintly patience of her mother or the tolerance and humor of her father for Kazuma's often stupid exploits. He'd never been good in school, not caring to apply himself, and her tough love mixed with fond exasperation probably wasn't the best way to help him do better. But she tried her hardest, and it seemed to be enough, for despite the knucklehead's rough edges, he was a good boy, and turning into a strong man.

Yeah, she was proud of Kazuma, proud of the way he had turned out. A good man, strong in his convictions and confident in his strength. Okay, maybe a little _too_ confident, and okay, maybe a little _too_ thick sometimes, especially when it came to subtlety. But that was Kazuma, always taking things at face value because he never had anything to hide. He didn't deal in subtleties, because there was nothing subtle about him. And that was okay. Because he was someone who believed in himself and others and the rightness of this world.

It was a good foil for her own sour opinion of the world, one she carefully hid from her brother. (Which was fairly easy, actually, as Kazuma never noticed anything that wasn't right there in front of his face.) Let Kazuma keep his childish delusions that the world was a good place, that things worked out, that the Hero always won.

And he was a Hero. There was no denying that. Though Shizuru would never admit that she was relieved when Yusuke and the others had departed for Demon World, and left Kazuma to get back to the more mundane struggle of just being an ordinary teenager. God knew being a teenager was hard enough. Being a teenager trying to save the world was just too damn _much_.

And damn scary for a sister who worried too much over her little brother, whose brash recklessness often left little room for sense. She didn't want to lose Kazuma like she'd already lost everyone else. That - that would have been too hard. And perhaps that was why she let Kazuma keep his daydreams of glory and truth and simple right and wrong, because she had lost that a long time ago.

If she'd ever had it. Maybe as a kid, when she didn't know any better, and her dad was still so big he filled her entire world, and her mother was still that warm hug that wrapped around her when she'd come home crying after being pushed down and called "Beanpole" by some bully in kindergarten. Her mother had wiped away her tears and her father had shown her how to throw a punch - hoping to cheer her up, maybe. Though he'd laughed when her mother had scolded her after she'd gone back the next day and given that dumb bully a knuckle-sandwich.

But she wasn't ever one to put up with bullies - yet another thing her father had unwittingly taught her - and while she wasn't as fist-happy as Kazuma, Shizuru didn't take anyone's shit, either. And as if her size wasn't intimidating enough, her unwillingness to take anyone's crap had completely sealed her "outsider" status in school. Oh, she'd gotten along with others all right, but she was definitely not one of the "in" crowd. Good at grades but not good enough for the nerds - who were too scared of her, anyway - she'd found some friends among the other losers, and maybe that was why she'd rebelled so much as a teenager. Even though she knew it'd hurt her dad, that she'd taken up smoking at thirteen and got busted a few times for skipping school and drinking beer. She knew her mom had been hurt when she'd found out she'd already had sex at fourteen.

Not that _that_ had been all that great. Certainly didn't live up to all the hype. The virginity held so sacred by other girls seemed more of a nuisance to Shizuru, and her curiosity got the better of her in the back of a friend's car one afternoon. It was over in a few minutes and just left her wondering what the heck all the fuss was about. Though his fumbling attempts at foreplay weren't too bad, and she'd wondered - more than she cared to admit - how different sex might have been if she'd ever tried it with someone else. Like Sakyo, maybe. Though she wouldn't ever get the chance to find out _now_, would she?

Shizuru's mouth twisted wryly around the cigarette she'd just propped between her lips. Lighting it, she inhaled deeply, enjoying the simple action, before letting the smoke go with a sigh. She stared down at the expensive lighter, her thumb idly smoothing over the initials carved into it in gold. "SN," for Sakyo Nakamura. He'd given it to her, just before he'd died. Or blown himself up, rather. Damn egotist.

Of course she'd fallen for him. At eighteen, how could she not? He was, literally, Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome. Rich, suave and sophisticated, he was every girl's wet dream of a charming Machiavelli, with enough of the cynical bad boy for a young fool to think she could redeem him somehow.

Yeah, right. Shizuru snorted, and smoke lazily curled out of her nose as she relaxed against the porch rail. Sakyo wasn't about to let anyone save him; his narcissistic megalomania wouldn't let them. Since he couldn't destroy the whole world by buying a gateway to demon world, than he'd decided to go out with a bang, and take the whole world - or, at least, the Dark Tournament stadium - with him.

Perhaps he'd found it endearing that he'd had one person there who cared enough to cry. She certainly begrudged her tears for the overly-dramatic way he'd waved at her as the ceiling caved in on him, burying him alive in the rubble. That ironic smile, so self-assured. Sakyo was a cynic to the bitter end - what a jerk. Yeah, only she could fall for a lost puppy like that. A puppy who'd never wanted to be rescued in the first place.

Maybe one day she would forgive herself for that particular idiocy. For she _had_ loved him, with all the earnest wistfulness of her young heart. At least the bitter experience had taught her early to be far more careful with her emotions. She learned the hard way about getting too involved, keeping herself free from all the typical drama other young women her age went through until they found Mr. Right.

Or Mr. Right Now, rather. Love wasn't something that lasted forever and ever, amen. Not these days. Not with divorce rates the way they were, and people shacking up with anyone they could. Not with all the mournful gossip she heard dished out at the beauty salon. Women found comfort talking over their problems in that chair. Shizuru hadn't known she'd turn into a damn therapist when she'd gone to cosmetology school. Lord knew she heard too often the same bitter tale of love gone wrong. Oh, the drama. Some women lived for it.

Not her. She had enough in her life, thank you.

"Hey, sis! What's for dinner, huh? I'm _starving_."

Brown eyes immediately lighting on the big lug, who was barreling up the walk like a freight train, Shizuru hid a smile as she dryly retorted, "What's new?"

The tall carrot-top scruffed the back of his neck uneasily. "Aw, c'mon, sis. I'm a growing boy."

"You grow any bigger, baby bro," she eyed his hulking, six-foot-three frame, "and we'll need to buy food by the barrel."

He scowled, and she smiled as she exhaled her cigarette. Yeah, she already had more than enough in her life.

ooOOOoo

For once, Jin wasn't even interested in watching the fight. And it was a good one, between that hulk Enki and his bitchy wife, Koku. The two had been going at it for sixteen hours straight. In fact, he had returned from Human World, sat up talking late into the wee hours, caught himself a little shut eye and _still_ they were at it. One for the record books, it was.

It wasn't the only fight still going strong. Mukuro and that lass Chuu was so keen on, Natsume, were lighting up their okininju stalk like a veritable Chinese New Year celebration. The sparks were fairly flying off of that pair, as each woman stubbornly refused to give in to the other. Although the last pair had just succumbed - that ugly, beret-wearing Suiketsu the winner by last collapse, having delayed toppling over just a few seconds after his opponent, Shuu. But since neither demon was in any shape to go on to the next round, it sort of tilted the sequence all out of whack. There was even talk of bringing Yomi back for the sixth round, as the fifth was taking so damn long. That would be hard on Yomi, for he hadn't yet recovered from his mind-blowing fight with Yusuke Urameshi last night.

Talk was rife with the unorthodox way the Great Tournament was turning out, but Jin had his mind on other things. Namely, a pretty brown lass with a fist like iron. Ah, the sweet kiss of it - it'd fair taken his breath away!

Jin sighed morosely, blue eyes not even seeing the giant screen at the end of the bar where he'd joined his friends for a late lunch. Not that he could see that well through the matching pair of black eyes the tall girl had given him yesterday.

Was it but yesterday that he had felt the sweet touch of his own true love? It seemed near a lifetime ago - all of everything having happened all at the once. It fair set a lad's head to spinning, even without the headache that had come with Shizuru having laid his ass out, and the ache that had started up in his very heart right after…

ooOOOoo

Chuu eyed his friend through the bottom of his drained beer mug. The picture was wavy and distorted, but no different than when he solemnly set the empty glass back down. There the red-haired demon still sat, every merry line of him all but sagging in defeat. Was it Yusuke's loss last night that had the bloke all off in La-La Land? Or the realization that his little Lily, the taijiya Sango, was no longer available? Nah, couldn't be that - for Jin had gotten over _that_ little crush long before either of those two former teammates of Urameshi's had gotten it in their fool heads to finally press their claims on the little slayer.

Could it be all that mess with Kagome and that grumpy dog of hers, Inuyasha, showing up here at the tournament? He knew Jin was somehow mixed up in that, but as the little miko and her doggie hadn't been seen by anyone since late last night when they'd all taken their leave, the idea seemed a little far-fetched. Well, then, could it be that ugly Suiketsu - the demon who had defeated Jin in the first round of the tournament - having been sucker-punched at the last and only winning _this_ fight to not be strong enough to take part in the next?

But Jin had missed _that_ fight entirely, and wasn't even interested in watching how the others did. Even though there was plenty of hot youkai flesh on display up there on the screen to make a demon's blood boil. Never mind that Chuu couldn't understand how anyone couldn't watch his own sweet Natsume lit up there like a veritable disco ball of energy as she returned Mukuro's dimensional-cutting sweeps with lances of pure lightning from the very pits of hell. The idea that the sweet youkai had such control over the nether flames made his toes curl with admiration.

And made him frown all at the same time, as Chuu wondered if he'd ever be worthy of that sweet demoness's attention, let alone affection. Horrible thought. Gods, he needed a drink.

About to call for one, he paused and suddenly spun around on his seat. By God, that was it! "Bloke's in love," he said wonderingly.

"Who's in love?" Sazuka asked, bored by the fight still going on. No matter how pretty the fireworks, watching only four opponents not getting much direct hits in was yawn-worthy.

"Jin, of course! It's the sheilas, don't you see? They do it to you every time."

"They do what every time?" Rinku asked impertinently from his idle spinning on the bar stool beside him.

"Get you, bledger, right here." Chuu solemnly placed his hand over his heart.

Shishi rolled his eyes and went back to his card game as Sazuka raised a golden brow and turned to study the sighing wind demon for himself. Suddenly grinning, the golden-haired demon sat back and crossed his arms behind his head. "I think you're right, Chuu."

"Of course, I'm right!" the big demon replied. "Ain't I always right?"

Rinku snorted. Chuu let that pass, mind too busy turning over the possibilities. Jin hadn't been paying that much attention to any particular demoness that he could tell. Maybe Touya, who was Jin's best friend, would know. Turning, Chuu's grizzled face broke into a wide grin as he spotted the ice apparition just coming through the door. "Why, bugger me, if it ain't just the chap we're wanting!"

Protests rose with Touya's brow, as he was only ten feet away and Chuu's bellow could most likely be heard in the next street. Ignoring them, Chuu jumped down and waded over to his friend. "Ah, there you are, mate!"

"Hello, Chuu." The ice apparition rarely let anything ruffle his poise, and now was no exception, although every demon but one had turned to stare or grumble at the commotion.

"Why, I've been looking for you all night," Chuu said.

"He has not," Rinku immediately retorted. "Just in the last five seconds. He's been watching his sweet Natsume." That last was said in a nasty, singsong voice as the boy did a headstand on the stool, still twirling idly.

"Shut up, bledger, if you know what's good for you!"

Rolling his eyes, Rinku nimbly flipped back upright in his seat, folding his hands like a good little boy. He even managed to send one of his yo-yo's up to spin circles around his head, creating a "halo" effect to match his innocent expression.

"Now, that's impressive," Sazuka appreciated.

"And juvenile," Shishi sniffed from his card game.

Rinku stuck his tongue out at the handsome, cerise-eyed imp, who refused to acknowledge it.

"Let's ignore them, shall we, Touya, and have us a little talk, eh?" Chuu threw a companionable arm around the much shorter apparition, who suffered the alcoholic fumes breathed right into his ear with an amused look.

"About what?"

"Why, ain't it obvious?" Chuu demanded, another waft of powerful fumes flooding over the ice youkai. Pointing a big, hairy thumb over his shoulder, he said, "Why, just _look_ at him!"

Touya only met that demand with a lifted brow of polite inquiry.

"Bitten, he is!" Chuu said, dolefully shaking his head.

"Bitten? Who's bitten?"

"Why, Jin, mate! Ain't it right obvious that's what's wrong with him? He's been sitting there moping and sighing all night!"

Suddenly _very_ interested, Touya studied their friend critically. "He doesn't look bitten."

"Agh! No, not bitten. _Smitten!" _Exasperated, Chuu slapped his forehead. "By love, mate!"

"Love," Touya said flatly.

"Too right. Just look at him. Poor bloke's gone and got himself bit by the love-bug. Nasty business, that." Chuu sniffed. "Get it m'self about once a week or so. Though this last one's gotten me hard, being as it was my own sweet sheila, Natsume."

"And lookee, there," the big youkai pointed at the television set, "she's still going right at it - aha, look at her now! She almost got that Mukuro-hussy, she did! Yah! Go on, Natsume! Sock it to the king! That's the ticket!" Chuu abruptly left Touya to go holler more encouragement at the screen, shoving his way through the disgruntled patrons of the bar to get a good seat. He plucked a poor lizard off of his stool, and when the demon protested, casually backhanded him across the room with a loud, distracted, "Shush, there, mate! Me own sheila's winning, she is!"

But it seemed Natsume was giving all she had in one last, desperate strike. It quickly became apparent that the tables were slowly turning, and that the red-haired Mukuro was finally gaining the upper hand. The former king's bright, fuchsia aura was overwhelming the golden sunlight of Natsume's, although both women's spheres of power had grown rather ragged, clearly showing their mutual exhaustion.

Chuu's howl as Natsume slowly, inexorably, fell to her knees beneath the weight of Mukuro's power went unheeded by Touya, who purposely wormed his way through the tense crowd to Jin's side. He tapped a polite hand on the big lug seated on Jin's right, and the angry demon turned, a belligerent snarl dying unuttered at Touya's icy look.

"Uh…I suddenly realized I gotta be somewhere…anywhere…else…" the big ogre stuttered to save face and then fled. Sliding into the now-vacant stool, the ice apparition coolly ordered two drinks - a white wine spritzer, and a Jamison, neat.

Sliding the whisky over in front of his friend, he sat back. Jin's nose twitched. A long second, and then his long, pointed ears wiggled. Jin blinked, suddenly realizing there was a full tumbler in front of him in need of a drink. Well, and how convenient there was an Irishman sitting right there in just as much need. Why, there was no hope for it but that they help t'other out.

Snatching the glass, Jin sniffed delicately before letting the ambrosia trickle down his throat. The trickle soon became a flood, and he quaffed the glass before setting it back down on the counter. Ah, that was much better.

"You looked like you could use a drink," Touya said mildly.

Jin started. "Oh, it's you, then. I didn't even see you there, lad."

"So I noticed." Touya smiled into his own glass, taking a leisurely sip.

Embarrassed, Jin rubbed the back of his head. "Well, ah…"

"So, who is it?" The ice apparition sat back, eyes not even on his friend, who flushed red as his hair.

"And what do you be meaning by that…" Jin started defensively, and then his wide shoulders slumped at Touya's amused look. "Be it that obvious?"

"Only to those who care enough to notice," Touya reassured him. "You're our friend. And not just a friend, but a brother."

Jin gave him a quick, grateful smile for that pointed reminder. Of anyone on this infernal earth, Touya knew him best. They shared a long history, having both been just wee lads when pledged to their Guardian Masters. Sharing the oft-times harsh training of their separate elements, the two young warriors had been brothers-at-arms in more ways then one, for it was Touya who had first questioned the dishonor they'd found among their shinobi brethren.

But then, Touya was often the one leading, with Jin more than willing to follow. The ice apparition was the smartest demon Jin had ever known. Had a mind like a veritable steel trap, he did, with so many thoughts it was a wonder his head didn't explode. But all those deep thoughts and deep questions often led the ice apparition to long, broody silences that only Jin's levity could dispel. They were a good foil for each other, and well Jin knew it. He trusted Touya like no other, and when the apparition had dreamed of a land to call their own - where they could be free to make their own choices, why Jin was more than willing to sign up for the Dark Tournament.

Of course, that had not turned out in their favor - having been soundly routed by the Urameshi Team. But _that_ had led the two shinobi brothers to where they were now…free of the torn loyalties of the past and afire with the new purpose that Yusuke Urameshi seemed to instill in everyone he met.

Jin idly wondered how the poor lad was doing, and realized with a start that it was the first time he had thought about his friend since meeting Shizuru Kuwabara. He flushed, in shame this time, and stared mournfully at his empty glass.

Sensing the sudden turn in his friend's thoughts, Touya quietly ordered the wind demon a second shot, then advised the bartender to leave the bottle when Jin knocked it back as quickly as he had the first.

Usually garrulous by nature, Jin's uneasy silence was telling. This was something more than just a casual crush. Cautiously probing, the Ice Master asked, "Are you upset about Sango?"

"What?" The surprise on Jin's face was answer enough for the ice apparition, he didn't need his friend's quick denial. "Naw, lad, you can rest yourself assured there be no trouble for me in that quarter. At least, not anymore. But I knew afore even those two fools that was which way the wind be blowing, you ken, for me sweet Lily. Na, lad, rest yourself easy on that score."

Jin grinned. "Though merry was the dance she led them, eh? And I won't be suggesting that there wasn't a time I would've been more than willing to…ah, well, that's neither there nor here, is it?"

"Then what - or should I say, who - is now 'neither there nor here?'" Touya demanded, lightly teasing his friend's brogue. Jin's speech grew more garbled the more he drank, and he was already on his fourth glass.

"Ah, well…" Jin sighed, staring into the golden liquid as the bar erupted in screams around them as Natsume was finally defeated by Mukuro and the second battle, between Enki and his wife, drew to a close. Cheers and jeers were flung wildly as Chuu barreled out the door to go comfort his poor sheila, Rinku following like the ever faithful shadow he was. Touya, looking up, saw Sazuka wave lazily from the other side of the bar. Rolling his green eyes over at Shishi, still playing cards in the corner, the blond demon mimicked "losing" by a thumbs down and a wide grin for the handsome imp's disgust over that fact.

Reassured their other friends were fine, Touya turned back to Jin, who had not raised his eyes from his half-filled glass. The amber liquid glowed beneath the ugly, yellow lights overhead as the wind demon distractedly turned the glass in his fingers.

"And, well?" Touya prompted. Jin's reticence was unusual in itself.

"And, well…" Jin abruptly drank the whisky he'd been playing with and set the glass back down with a thump. Squaring his shoulders, he straightened, determined to make a clean breast of it.

Touya waited patiently.

"And, well, she's human."

"Human?" Surprised, Touya mulled that interesting tidbit over.

"Ah, but bonny for all that."

Well, Touya could admit that he'd seen a pretty girl or two in Human World himself. Not that he'd really thought much about it. He didn't have anything against humans - they could be just as strong and loyal as demons. Look at Kuwabara, for instance. His loyalty to Urameshi was without question. As was Keiko's. And there was that beautiful priestess, Kagome, whom he'd met while training under Genkai for six months.

Could Jin be talking _about_ Kagome? If he was, then his poor friend was in for a world of hurt. And not just emotionally - for that inu hanyou had a good swing on that giant fang of his, and was rather possessive of his mate. And just as head over heels in love with the miko as she was with him.

"Jin…" Touya cautioned, but the Wind Master cut him off.

"I know, lad, I know. Usually onna are so…frail. So soft and squeally. Makes a poor demon's blood shiver just thinking on it." Jin theatrically demonstrated as he poured himself another glass. Touya might have argued that - but then, he and Jin had different tastes. Though…squeals…okay, there was a cause to shiver. Both demons had more than their fill of rabid fan girls. Something which Shishi, at least, never seemed to get enough of.

Still - thanks, but no thanks. Touya didn't want to waste his time with young girls who worshipped him just for his name or looks. Although he'd availed himself from time to time of the lurid offers thrown his way, he couldn't see himself making a deeper commitment with someone who couldn't keep up intellectually, let alone hold a decent conversation.

"But she…she's _fierce_," Jin worshipfully enthused. "A warrior goddess from old. An Athena, no, a Freyja, no - a Brighid! Ye ken, lad, she be having a fist like iron."

He solemnly pointed to his matching black eyes. Well, that solved _that_ question, Touya thought wryly. And as to what must have initially caught the Wind Master's interest. Jin did like a strong woman, one who could stand up to him. There were not many who'd dare. One of the reasons Jin had been so taken with that hanyou, Sango.

Still, that didn't answer the question of _who_. "Does this goddess have a name?" Touya queried. "Or don't you know?"

"Aye, I do. As do you, lad." Jin grinned ruefully. "Though, terrible is it am I to be admitting, that I'd not thought of the lass in that way afore yesterday, when she fair laid me low, and just for laying me hand on her sweet shoulder."

Touya frowned, uncertain if such reactionary violence was a good thing. Though rather understandable, if it _was_ the miko…

"Do you yet recall, lad, a tall lass at the Dark Tournament, with hair the color of a wren's wing and eyes like well-aged whisky? With skin like velvet, and lips like raspberries? And hips just so," he pantomimed, "and legs that near went on for miles? A modest air, ye ken, who yet carried herself like a queen while never a'calling attention to herself?"

"The Dark Tournament?" Touya frowned, surprised by the reference but reassured, at least, that it couldn't be the miko, for they hadn't met Kagome yet. But who…?

"Sadly, I cannot recall this virtual paragon of women," he said, but Jin missed the heavy irony, so wrapped up in his one-sided lyrical litany of love.

"Ah, but her voice - like the sweetest song ye ever did hear. A Siren, she is…"

"I don't recollect meeting any Sirens at the Dark Tournament," Touya said, now amused by his friend's enthusiasm. Only six glasses, and Jin was all but swooning.

"Ah, but a pity it was that I didn't know it then, lad. For what time's been wasted, eh? Not that I can't but remedy that fact now." Jin's blue eyes sparkled. "And to think, all this time, that I be knowing Kuwabara had a sister, and never do I yet acknowledge what a sweet lass she be…"

Touya choked. He shouldn't have taken a drink just as Jin said that. He turned to stare at the red-haired wind youkai. "Wait. Did you say Kuwabara's _sister?"_

"That I did." Jin solemnly nodded.

Touya shuffled back. Normally, he was pretty good at recalling names and faces, but he couldn't remember anything about Kuwabara's sister except maybe…

"Didn't she smoke a lot?"

"Aye. So?" Jin shrugged, uncaring.

"Yeah, but, Jin…" For once, eloquent Touya found himself at a loss for words. How could one say to their best friend that maybe they were thinking of the wrong girl? That maybe they were seeing her through rose-colored glasses - or beer-goggles, as Rinku would bluntly call them. Now, he could be wrong, for he couldn't exactly remember what Miss Kuwabara looked like. But Kazuma Kuwabara hadn't been called "The Boy with the Unfortunate Face" for nothing. And Touya could just imagine what _any_ sister of Kuwabara's might look like - big, hulking, pinch-faced and slack-jawed. With fists like sledge-hammers and big, strapping shoulders. Not to mention, a feminine version of Kuwabara's orange pompadour - like Lucille Ball in her "I Love Lucy" days.

Except Jin had said she was brown-haired. Or light brown, rather, since a wren's wing was not that dark. Which just made the image in his head even more…surreal. Add the hacking croak of a habitual chain-smoker, and…yikes!

Seeing the study of alarm in Touya's face, Jin chuckled. "Ah, lad, it not be that bad as what you're thinking, which is writ plain as day on yer face. Why, mo nighean donn - my brown one - she was the lucky one, inheriting all the beauty in the family, thank the Laird. Lemme think…do you yet remember when the stadium was crashing down upon us, and that Koenma, what be the Prince of Spirit World, came running out at the last with a blue ogre and that tall girl in the long skirt?"

Touya considered thoughtfully, and finally nodded in some relief. He didn't exactly recall the girl's face, but he did remember a tall, lean figure - thankfully sans her brother's solid bulk - with large, light brown eyes. He remembered more the emotion in them - a strange, haunting sadness, since they had all been so relieved at having just escaped the collapsing stadium. Though that sadness might've been caused by Genkai's death, since they hadn't known at the time that the grumpy priestess would be resurrected by Yusuke's wish…

Touya's attention was suddenly drawn to the television as Koto's shrill voice cut through the noisy bar. "Wow, folks! This tournament has been something else, hasn't it? There's been enough blood to make even _my_ heart pound, and I will be replaying those DVD's for weeks to come! Speaking of which, you can purchase the edited and unedited versions on eat fist dot com - "

"Are you seriously interrupting the announcement of the final round with a _commercial?"_ Yuda, the pompous, old earth youkai sitting beside her, demanded in disgust.

"Hey! It's the perfect opportunity for promotion, as everyone's on the edge of their seats, waiting for me to announce the next contenders for the crown." The cat youkai scowled, one hand covering her mike although it didn't muffle her sly aside, "Besides, I get a cut of the proceeds."

"Sell-out," the earth youkai muttered under his breath. Koto's glare was hot enough to scorch.

"Never mind that, folks." She airily waved the topic aside and abruptly switched to a more serious tone. Her blue-green eyes glittered. "Our combatants have put up a tremendous fight, but it's now down to the nitty-gritty of the final four, the winner of each group having emerged victorious.

"Now, Yomi was one of the early, odds-on favorites to win this competition, and he has certainly proven his worth, going up against the awe-inspiring Yusuke Urameshi in the last round. A fight which left him completely exhausted. The question is, does the former king of Gandara have enough energy left to tackle the formidable Enki?"

A picture of the regal Yomi - black-haired, six-horned, and blind - spliced with a rather ignoble, current shot of the large Enki. Clad in work boots and a wife-beater, the red demon sat like a huge hill, calmly smoking a pipe, his bitchy wife passed out across one bent knee.

"Enki has been a surprising dark horse in this tournament. A virtual unknown, the large demon has been able to knock the wind out of his competition. Literally - for he just laid his wife out with one blow of his mighty fist. Not that Koku was taking that sitting down - "

A quick video recap of the marital dispute showed how long Koku had fended off her mountain of a husband's large fists. It was pretty close - Enki was a lava demon, Koku an adamant elemental. They were well-matched. Koto went on to recount the other three fights, enthusiastically adding gory details wherever unnecessary. The cat demon did like to draw out the inevitable, savoring the limelight and as always pandering to the bloodthirsty crowd. She knew just how far she could push them, and finally got to the point just as their growing impatience started to turn murderous.

"All right, folks. The sixth round of the Great Tournament is about to begin. Yes, you heard me right! Because the last round took so long, the committee has decided to go ahead and begin the next-to-last, seventh round of this sweet little slug-fest. And the fighters going against each other will be…Enki versus Yomi, and Mukuro versus Suiketsu!"

"Well, this should be over soon," Touya said mildly, knowing how Suiketsu had barely managed to collapse right after his friend Shuu during the last fight. He'd be in no condition to fight Mukuro.

A snore met his dry comment, and the ice apparition looked over at his friend. Jin was passed out across the bar, hugging the empty bottle of Jamison like a pillow. Shaking his head, Touya finished up his wine spritzer before draping one of Jin's thick arms across his shoulders so he could hoist him up.

Noticing what he was doing, Sazuka came over to help. Touya was grateful for the tall blond's assistance, for Jin was no light-weight. Hefting his solid frame between them, they managed to drag the wind demon back upstairs to their hotel room. Dropping him across one of the two double-beds, Jin muttered something in Gaelic before slumping face down.

Grinning, Sazuka crossed his arms and demanded, "So, who is it?"

Unsurprised by the tall demon's astuteness - though many were fooled by the arrogant fop Sazuka often used to downplay his very real intelligence - Touya answered wryly, "A human."

"A human?" Caught off guard, Sazuka laughed - a great, bellowing laugh, full of delight. He was at his most haughty as he drawled, "You _can't_ be serious."

Touya only shrugged, since the sentiment wasn't really worth comment. Jin was, after all, his best friend. No matter how foolish, the wind youkai deserved his full support.

Sazuka's laughter abruptly died as he took in Touya's remote expression. "I guess you are," he said, and wisely let the subject drop.

ooOOOoo

Staring dreamily out the window, Ayumi sighed. The patter of rain on the glass was accompanied by the faint squeak of pencils and the shuffling of papers as the rest of the class concentrated on their exams. She felt eyes on her back, and turning, noticed the glare Eri was giving her. The girl motioned to her test, and Ayumi shrugged.

"I'm done," she mouthed, and Eri's eyes widened. The brown-haired girl frowned, shaking her head in patent self-disgust before bending back to her own work.

But that was always how it went. Ayumi couldn't help being quick at her studies. Her best friends, Yuka and Eri, were always ribbing her about how easy school was for her, and lamenting the fact that they had to work so hard at it while she didn't. They often wished they had half her brains, or her drive. Both girls seemed to thrive on hating school - it was a major topic of conversation, and an on-going jest that Ayumi, the brains in their group, loved learning just as much as they hated it.

Fiddling with her pencil, Ayumi frowned. She wished, sometimes, that she was a little more like the other girls. Of course, she really didn't want to spend as much time in front of the mirror as Yuka did, or half the time working for her family after school like Eri or Kagome. She usually spent her afternoons with her head buried in a book - if not studying, than just reading. She did love a good story, especially one where the Hero triumphed. She sometimes wished she could be a fairy tale princess who some prince could come carry off on his white horse away from her mundane life...

She was glad Kagome, at least, was finally back in school and attending regular classes. Though Kagome still had a lot of work to catch up on, and really, she shouldn't have missed school today. Ayumi had tried to remind her last night about Mr. Tanaka's exams, but Kagome had been out with her boyfriend, Inuyasha. Or so Mrs. Higurashi said, having taken a message and thanking Ayumi for her thoughtfulness.

Propping her head on her palm, Ayumi turned wistful. She wished she had a boyfriend like Inuyasha to take her out places. She really liked him, he was so in love with Kagome. It was really sweet how jealous he was - Ayumi thought it proved just how much he truly cared. Eri and Yuka, on the other hand, just claimed it proved his paranoid schizophrenia. Although they liked Inuyasha well enough, the jury was still out on whether he was good or not for their friend Kagome. Eri thought he had too much attitude, and Yuka didn't like that he was such a thug.

Ah, but Inuyasha just had some rough edges. He was always nice to her, and treated all of Kagome's friends with patience, even when Ayumi knew he'd rather die than spend another moment talking about girlie stuff or high school. He was rather like the Beast in the Disney movie, "Beauty and the Beast." All gruff exterior and really a kind, gentle heart. Yes, Inuyasha was Kagome's Beast, and he loved his Belle. You could see it in his eyes. Whenever he laid them on Kagome, when she wasn't looking, they went all soft, like honey.

Ayumi would never tell him that, though. He'd find it an awful comparison. Though she might mention it to Kagome - she would really like that. Ah, but Inuyasha and Kagome's relationship was so _romantic! _How she met him was shrouded in mystery - Kagome could be really secretive sometimes, no matter how Eri or Yuka tried to fish for information. Ayumi liked to think they met during one of Kagome's convalescents. She could just imagine it - Kagome, bed-ridden and weak with one of her many, mysterious illnesses, and Inuyasha making her soup, like he had that time she was so sick with the flu. Kagome had told her all about it.

Really, it was sweet, and Ayumi tried to remind Eri and Yuka of that time whenever they brought Hojo back up. They lamented that Kagome had never been interested in the handsome boy. True, he was one of the cutest guys in school, and nice as could be. But there was nothing _interesting_ about Hojo. He was just - Hojo.

Ayumi smiled. Maybe she was just projecting her own restlessness on Kagome. Life was just so _unexciting_ sometimes. She wished there was more - but really, no, she didn't. She liked her safe-and-sound life. She knew where she was going and what she was going to do once she got there. Sometimes, though, sometimes she wished there was something…more.

Ah, well. Might as well start on her homework. She still had thirty minutes left in this class. If she got her AP physics done, she'd have more time for that new romance novel this afternoon. She did love those…


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, etc., of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit.

**PHOENIX RISING**

Summary: Not everyone is happy when Enki wins the Demon World Tournament. A new darkness rises out of the east, threatening the fragile new kingdom, and our heroes find themselves thick in the fray.

_A/N: This is a rather short chapter, but I already have the next in production. =)_

_**Chapter Three**_

"I think he's in here," Sango said, eying the chart hung outside the half-opened door.

"Hn." Hiei adroitly slipped ahead of her so that he might enter the room first. Sango could only shake her head, still baffled by the fire demon's over-protectiveness. It was highly unlikely any would-be attackers were lurking under Yusuke's hospital bed, just waiting for the right opportunity.

But then again, this was Demon World, where anything was possible. The unthinkable was even more the norm here than the unusual, at least when compared to Living World or Spirit World.

Take Yusuke, for instance. In Human World, the former Spirit Detective's coma would have been closely monitored by several doctors and nurses, and visitors kept to a strict minimum for a given set of hours. Here, at Makai's renowned Gandara General, they simply parked your carcass in a free bed, letting your hibernating body heal on its own while sporadically checking on your progress. But since most youkai could heal most anything short of a death wound, that made some sense, in a twisted sort of way.

It was still rather strange to Sango just how casually demons took the very real injuries suffered in the Great Tournament. Inured to violence and abetted by easy self-healing, their casual attitude mystified her.Opponents who had just ripped each other's limbs off were greeted as old friends once those limbs reattached. While old enmities often existed, resulting in hot fighting, there was a certain lack of concern when casual encounters resulted in untold bloodshed.

But then again, this was Makai. She could hardly apply human standards to a demon's world, now could she?

Something which Sango found disconcerting at times, though she was also grateful for it. Without that same casual unconcern for social norms, would her own "love-triangle" with Hiei and Kurama be so readily accepted in another world? That thought led her down too many uncomfortable paths, so she let it go with an uneasy shrug.

There _was_ someone in the room, proving Hiei's caution was not unfounded, but as it was only Botan, that made a poor excuse.The pretty, blue-haired girl looked up as the door creaked, her pink eyes lighting with pleasure as she recognized Hiei and Kurama. Sango denied the tiny spurt of unreasonable jealousy as Kurama returned the ferry-girl's enthusiastic greeting with a warm hug, and even Hiei unthawed enough to nod.

"Hiei, Kurama, it's good to see you," Botan said warmly, getting up from her chair as they awkwardly gathered around the foot of Yusuke's bed.

"How is he?" Kurama gestured toward the former Spirit Detective. He looked peaceful - unusual in itself for someone like Yusuke Urameshi. Even his "sleep" seemed off somehow - for he wasn't sprawled across the bed, snoring (and drooling,) but lay on his back, his shaggy black head turned into the plumped-up pillows.

"Still sleeping," Botan said, lips pressing into a thin line. "The doctor - if you can call him that - says he's progressing well, but as I can't get anything more out him, that's hardly reassuring!"

Kurama smiled. "That's about standard, I'm afraid. But it looks as if he's recovering nicely."

"True," Botan grudgingly agreed. "And the bruises have gone down, at least. Though he's far too pale, to my mind."

He did look rather pale, but that could be the washed-out effect of the lights overhead. To be honest, Sango was rather surprised to see Yusuke looking so well, considering the beat-down he'd gotten only yesterday. Only a little sallow color marked the livid bruises of the day before, and there was no signs of any of the various burns or lacerations he'd sustained during his epic fight with the former king, Yomi.

"I can take comfort in the thought that that stupid Yomi didn't look much better, Kurama. But _he's_ already recovered enough to take part in the next round of the tournament," Botan said, a little viciously. She clearly held little liking for the former king of Gandara.

Startled by the news, Kurama said, "Already?"

"Oh, yes." Botan nodded. "While you've been sleeping the day away," she winked meaningfully at Sango, who blushed, "the sixth round of the tournament started - "

"And ended, actually."

They all turned at the sudden intrusion, relaxing slightly when Prince Koenma stepped inside the room. Coming alongside them, he looked down at the sleeping figure and frowned. "I'm glad to see Yusuke's doing much better, but I wish he might hurry it up a bit."

"Koenma, sir!" Botan protested, but the young prince held up a hand to forestall her.

"Now, Botan, don't think that I haven't been worried about Yusuke. I _am_ glad he's getting better. But there's a lot going on right now, and I sure wish Yusuke was here to help me deal with it."

"But, sir - " Botan couldn't help objecting, but abruptly paused as she caught the tired look in the prince's brown eyes. As chief administrator of Spirit World, Prince Koenma always had a lot on his plate, but he looked more than just harassed right now. The ferry-girl's indignationimmediately turned to compassion. "Really, sir, you should take some time to rest. You're overworking yourself."

"There's no time for that," Koenma replied testily, though he sank gratefully into the chair Botan pressed on him.

"What's happened?" Kurama quietly demanded after exchanging significant looks with Hiei that left Sango feeling somewhat superfluous.

"It's more what _might_ happen than what has," Koenma said, grimacing.

"Stop beating around the bush," Hiei growled, folding his arms across his chest, "and just spit it out."

"Hiei!" Botan protested out of long habit.

Koenma spared the fire demon a glare that abruptly turned rueful as he shook his head. "You always did have a way about you, Hiei. Very well; I'll get straight to the point."

_**"**_Hn."

"As you know, Yusuke proposed this whole tournament to prevent civil war from breaking out across the known territories of Demon World once King Raizen died. It was rather brilliant, actually, if a little crude. Ideally, I'd hoped that Yusuke might grow strong enough to defeat both Yomi and Mukuro, neither of whom we'd like to see with that much power."

"You mean neither of which _Spirit_ _World_ would like to see with that much power,"Hiei coldly interrupted. Sango wondered at his hard expression, though it might be for the Lady Mukuro, who Hiei had served for nearly a year. It was not so long ago that she'd thought the fire apparition in love with the former queen - or king, rather, since no one had known Mukuro's true gender until just recently.

That particular reminder didn't sit too well with her.

Koenma frowned. "Hiei - "

"Spirit World's interests aren't always in Demon World's best interests."

"Not necessarily," Koenma replied solemnly. "Do _you_ want to see a three-fold war between Spirit, Living and Demon World, Hiei? Trust me, it wouldn't be pretty."

"Hn." Sneering, the short apparition shrugged off the placating hand Kurama tried to place on his shoulder. "I find that hard to believe. Tell me, Koenma, just how much territory has Spirit World annexed in Makai over the last three hundred years?"

Knowing full well the truth of that, having served in the SDF since the Meiji period, Sango could only turn to the prince, who met the fierce glitter in Hiei's eyes with unwavering calm. "Maybe that's true, Hiei, but we were only doing it to protect Living World from being overrun by demons who merely see the humans as cattle. A policy which, I must remind you, both Mukuro and Yomi had no particular problem with."

"You and I know, Koenma, that was hardly the only dividing factors between the three territories Raizen, Mukuro and Yomi claimed," Kurama suddenly said, his look remote.

"True." Koenma sighed, rubbing a tired hand across the "Jr." tattooed between his brows. "To be honest, I don't envy the new king his job in trying to unite the various factions in the three kings' former territories. It will be a monumental task."

"Perhaps." Kurama shrugged, clearly not as worried. Sango was surprised at how casually Kurama was treating all this. Prince Koenma had made some very good arguments. True, the prince was somewhat biased, but she certainly didn't want to see the mortal world overrun by demons. She had already lived through that dark period once, thank you. The savagery that could be unleashed between the three worlds if they went to war in earnest - that didn't even bear thinking about. While both Reikai and Makai might claim their "magic" of spiritual and astral energy, human world had its own devastating "magic" in its science and technology, which far outstripped either of the others.

"Well, one thing in our favor is that Yomi is now out of the running," Koenma offered tiredly.

Kurama stiffened. "Yomi?"

Koenma nodded. "He lost the fight to Enki, who'll be facing off with Mukuro in the final round - which is supposed to take place sometime around nine o'clock tonight. The tournament committee has decided to give both fighters a chance to rest and grab a bite to eat, for they've both been fighting non-stop for the last twenty hours."

"Quite a long time," Kurama murmured.

"That's scary," Botan frankly said, her pink eyes wide.

"Damn scary," Koenma replied. "That's one of the reasons I've been so worried, and wish Yusuke were up and about. I know he'd be on our side, at least."

"And what do you mean by that?" Hiei demanded.

"I'm not stupid, Hiei. I'm trying to take every precaution I can, in case we suddenly have to defend human world against an imminent demonic incursion. I already have my new Spirit Detective and her team working on a plan in case that happens."

"You mean Kagome and Inuyasha." Sango suddenly spoke up for the first time. Koenma looked surprised, as if he had forgotten she was even there.

"Yes," he said steadily. "Along with Kuwabara."

Sango pressed her lips into a thin line, not bothering to say what that might mean for her in torn loyalties. Hiei looked at her sharply, his red eyes narrowing as Kurama frowned. Clearly, neither demon had given much thought to what that might mean for her.

"Well, we all hope it won't really come to that," Koenma subtly tried to reassure her. "How much do we really know about either demon? It's now down to two - Mukuro and Enki. Mukuro, we know, somewhat. But this Enki - does anyone know anything about him?"

Sango shrugged. "I do, a little."

Surprised again, Koenma stared hard at her. "You're certainly full of surprises, Anei."

The not-so-subtle reminder that she had once borne that name - however reluctantly - as a Spirit World assassin, did nothing to win her over. Sango's expression hardened.

"More than you could know, Your Majesty," she said coldly.

Koenma rubbed both hands across his face, his shoulders sagging. "This is not going as I had planned." He looked back up, his brown eyes earnest. "My apologies, Sango. That was inconsiderate of me."

"Koenma, sir," Botan said, her eyes softening as she placed a compassionate hand on his bowed shoulder.

"No, no - " Koenma waved her concern aside. "I was wrong, although I certainly hate to admit it." He grimaced, quickly changing the topic. "Let's all just hope that it doesn't come down to war."

"Hn." Hiei turned away to stare out the window at the gathering purple clouds. Lightning flickered greenly through the shaded glass.

ooOOOoo

"You certainly seem distracted, Kagome," Ayumi said.

"Eh?" Startled, Kagome looked up and then back down at the open book on her lap in disgruntlement. "Oh, yeah. Sorry."

"Is something the matter?" Ayumi asked, using one hand to mark her place as she half-closed her own text.

"Ah…no, not really." Kagome tried for a reassuring smile, though her thoughts were dark. *_Just the end of the world…*_

"I know it isn't the end of the world - "

Kagome nearly choked on Ayumi's eerie echo of her own worries.

" - but this exam is worth a third of your overall grade," Ayumi finished, flipping to the syllabus to emphasize her point. She gazed earnestly into Kagome's wide brown eyes. "Kagome-chan, I know it's hard concentrating on this stuff - English is such a weird language - but it really _is_ important.

"You don't want to _fail_, do you - "

Kagome stiffened, feeling suddenly ashamed and angry for her own doubts. Of course she wouldn't fail! She was a Spirit Detective, for the kami's sakes!

" - to get into a good high school…"

Ayumi paused, finally catching Kagome's expression. She quietly closed her book, and put it carefully on the table between them. "Kagome-chan, will you please tell me what's really going on?"

"I…what?" Startled, Kagome blurted before she thought, "No - I can't."

"Why not?" Ayumi asked, surprisingly frank for once. "Kagome, I'm really worried about you. You've been missing class a lot, and finals are coming up. You can't really afford to miss any more if you want to get into a good high school."

High school was the least of her concerns, but she could hardly tell Ayumi that! Kagome tried to demur, but thankfully, Ayumi jumped to her own conclusions.

"You're not suffering from a relapse, are you?"

Kagome's eyes softened. Ayumi really was a sweetheart for being so concerned about her, and she felt like a heel for all the lies and excuses she had told to her bestest friends since the well had first opened on her fifteenth birthday. Sometimes she wondered if she would ever be able to unbury herself from the giant hill of them, but it wasn't like she could tell Yuka, Eri or Ayumi the truth. Why, she could just imagine Ayumi's reaction if she were to admit that she was skipping so much school in order to train for the very real possibility of a Demon World invasion. While sweet Ayumi might not be the first to cart her off to the loony bin, she'd certainly be there to pat her hand as others came to take her away…

"Ah…"

"What is it?" Ayumi asked, anxiously taking her limp hand. "Is it the measles? The tuberculosis? Or the rheumatoid arthritis?"

"Rheumatoid arthritis! I never suffered from rheumatoid arthritis!" Kagome protested hotly, if foolishly. "That's an _old_ _people's_ disease!"

"I know," Ayumi said. "Which was why we were all taken aback when Gramps said you had it - "

"Stupid Gramps, I could just kill him! As if making up all those stupid diseases wasn't bad enough, but giving me an _old people's d - " _Kagome's tirade faltered as she saw Ayumi's stunned expression.

Oops.

ooOOOoo

In an earlier echo of his own stance that afternoon, Hiei entered their suite to find Sango staring out the window, one hand holding back the thick curtain so she could watch the fitful lightning playing out across the deepening purple twilight. Green splashes bathed her features in uncanny light, turning the dark eyes opaque. Hiei silently studied her set expression, knowing that closed look from afore. The slayer only donned that mask when she didn't want others to see how troubled she was.

He could have used his Jagan Eye to pierce her mind, slipping inside as easily as a knife through skin. He might, in other circumstances. But he already knew. Sango was deeply troubled by the thought of Prince Koenma's most dire predictions coming true, and what it might mean for the three of them in torn allegiance. How such a war might affect her friends, both demon and human, and the world she'd adopted as her own. It was the same disquiet that had driven both he and Kurama to seek out what rumors might lie among the thousands who had congregated to watch the tournament, after taking their leave of Koenma and Botan.

"Hanyou," he said.

She started, one hand automatically going to her hip for a sword that wasn't there. She frowned, the gesture turning into a shrug as she let the heavy curtain sweepback into place. The darkness was thick around them, but neither bothered turning on the lights. Although her night vision wasn't as keen as his, Hiei knew the taijiya could still make him out in the deeper shadows. His own eyes glowed slightly in reaction to that darkness, the bloody orbs casting a ghostly aura.

"Hiei," was all she said, but her gesture was telling, as she wrapped her arms around herself.

He moved swiftly, refusing to let her turn inside herself, as he was so good at doing. Taking her stiff body into his arms, he held her to him, hard, and finally felt her relax, her head bowing into his shoulder as she sighed.

Sometimes, no words needed to be said.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, etc., of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit.

**PHOENIX RISING**

Summary: Not everyone is happy when Enki wins the Demon World Tournament. A new darkness rises out of the east, threatening the fragile new kingdom, and our heroes find themselves thick in the fray.

_A/N: I fast-forwarded a bit, as I'm anxious to get to the meat of this story. It's also a little choppy, as I didn't wasn't to recreate the scenes already so well-written in the anime of YYH. The anime series also said that one week passed between the time Yusuke passed out and then woke up, but I chose to ignore that. Call it poetic license, or AU-ing the canon, LOL. (Side note - sentences in bold are taken direct from the animated version of YYH and are not mine.)_

_This chapter is dedicated to SangoIchimaru, who asked when I would post a new chapter to PR. Here 'tis, and thanks for all your sweet words. =)_

Words

Buozo - idiot

_**Chapter Four**_

Propping a hip against the door jam, Shizuru said blandly, "And just where do you think you're going, Kazuma?"

"Huh?" Startled, the big lug stared at her, a guilty flush creeping up his fair skin. "Um, what do you mean?"

"Well, since you're currently drenching yourself in about ten gallons of perfume, a girl's gotta wonder."

"It's not perfume!" Kuwabara vehemently protested. "It's aftershave!"

Pinching her nose, Shizuru said, "Well, you've certainly used more than enough of it. Who are you trying to impress, hmmm?"

"Aw, sis…" Kuwabara scuffed the back of his head as he shuffled uneasily from one foot to the other.

Shizuru smiled. "Relax, bro, I'm only teasing. So who's the lucky girl?"

"Well, you know." Kuwabara got even hotter as he tugged at his shirt collar.

"Lemme guess," Shizuru said, taking out her pack and shaking a cigarette free. "Yukina, right?"

"Uh…"

Lighting up, she inhaled lazily as she drawled, "Oh, come on, Kazuma, it's obvious you have a crush on the girl. So where are you going on your date?"

"It's not really a date." Kuwabara's broad shoulders sagged a little. "Just a movie, sort of, at Genkai's. She's got some show she wants us all to watch."

"All of who to watch?" Shizuru asked sharply.

"You know. The new team. Me and Kagome and Inuyasha." He fidgeted. "And since Yukina's gonna be there, seeing as she lives with the old crone, I thought it couldn't hurt to…um, you know. Smell nice."

Snorting, Shizuru shook her head at her brother's unease. Man, was he gone on that girl. "Well, you better cut down on the pheromones, bro, unless you want to knock her out from a mile away. The fumes alone can kill her." Squeezing past her hulking brother, Shizuru idly tossed her cigarette in the toilet. "Guess I should go get my jacket."

"Huh?" Kuwabara stared at her in shock at he tried scrubbing off the cheap cologne.

"If you think I'm going to let you go alone, then you got another thing coming."

ooOOOoo

"YUKINA!"

Spying the short figure awaiting them on the veranda, Kuwabara barreled up the steps with more enthusiasm than sense. Shaking her head, Shizuru slowed, giving her brother the space he needed to greet his avowed one true love.

Delicate and sweet, Yukina embodied all a sister might wish for their clod of a brother. Kind-hearted and shy - if a little dense - Shizuru liked her well enough. She knew Kazuma liked her more than enough. In fact, the big buffoon was head over heels in love with the pretty little demoness.

While other sisters might have objected to the whole "demoness" part, Shizuru had a pretty open mind. And Yukina, while fully demon, just didn't act or look like a demon. Well, except for the claret eyes and mint-toothpaste hair. Clad in a demure pink dress and brown cardigan, her long hair caught in a loose braid, the young innocent blushed as Kuwabara all but swooned before her.

"Kazuma, it's so good to see you." The shortdemoness smiled, and Kuwabara went beet red.

"Really?"

"Of course, silly!" Yukina replied, giggling.

"Yukina, my love…" he began tenderly, but Yukina missed it, having spotted the tall woman coming up the overgrown walk.

"Shizuru!" she called, clasping her hands in genuine pleasure as Kuwabara's face fell.

"Hello, Yukina," Shizuru said, eying her brother with a little quirk of her lips.

"I didn't know you were coming, too," Yukina said, blithely walking past a forlorn Kuwabara to go and hug her friend.

"Yeah," Kuwabara muttered darkly, glaring at his sister from behind Yukina's back. Shizuru only smiled, enjoying her brother's discomfiture.

"Been a while," she said, returning Yukina's hug. "You look good, Yukina."

"Thank you," the demoness said, warmly returning, "So do you, Shizuru-chan."

Shizuru only smiled, knowing the demoness was just being sweet. A bit too sugary for Shizuru's tastes, but then, Yukina was just like strawberry short cake, almost too good to be true. But then, she liked that about the young demoness. That sweet innocence and wholesome goodness was a good foil for her own cynicism, just as her brother's simple belief in others reminded her there was something worth fighting for. Shizuru vowed to protect that about both of them.

"I wish we had time to catch up, but we really shouldn't keep the others waiting," Yukina apologized. Shizuru shrugged as Kuwabara hastened to reassure her that it was okay - there'd be plenty of time to "catch up" after the movie. The thought made her baby bro positively euphoric, and he followed the two women inside the small shrine in a cloud of happy contemplation and stinky cologne.

A fact brought bluntly home by Inuyasha's bark.

"God, what reeks?"

"Oh, hello, Kuwabara." Kagome cheerfully waved before turning back to fussing with the VCR. Why Spirit World kept to such ancient devises mystified Shizuru, but then, Prince Koenma was a cheap ass. He certainly hadn't ever _paid_ any of his detectives.

"I should have expected you to come along." Old Genkai grumped by way of a greeting, passing over the popcorn.

"Gee, thanks, Genkai!" Kuwabara swiped a double handful as the old priestess rolled her eyes and plopped down on the saggy couch in her "sitting room." A converted bedroom off the old shrine, the room was sparsely furnished. Just a lumpy chair, the sofa, a rug and the old rabbit-eared TV with its jumble of electronics and video games. Genkai was an avid Xbox player.

"Gah! You stink, buozo." Inuyasha pinched his sensitive nose, matching glares with the husky Kuwabara. "What the hell is that stuff?"

"It's aftershave," Kuwabara defended, and positively beamed when Yukina came to his rescue.

"I think you smell nice, Kazuma."

"Thanks, Yukina," he said, expression going all goofy and eyes all swoony. Ah, young love. It made Shizuru want to vomit.

"Well, I think you stink," Inuyasha interjected, and only Kagome's glare stopped the inevitable fight when Kuwabara bristled.

"Will you two lay off?" The miko stood, hands on her hips and ire in her eye.

Kuwabara looked abashed. "Sorry, Kagome."

The hanyou's apology wasn't much of one - just turning away with his arms crossed and a "Hmph," but that was a vast improvement over most meetings between the two imbeciles, who bickered as much as Yusuke and Kuwabara ever had.

"She handles them pretty well," Shizuru murmured approvingly as she casually sat down beside the old priestess.

"She was a good student," Genkai smugly replied, taking a handful of popcorn.

"So what, exactly, is all this?" Shizuru waved at the VCR as Kagome stepped back with the remote. The pretty miko distractedly dropped into the lumpy chair, Inuyasha sprawling beside her after snatching up the popcorn bowl. Yukina knelt serenely on the rug, and Kuwabara folded himself beside her, his bulk awkward next to her slender grace.

"A recap of the final round of the Demon World Tournament, Botan said, and some coronation speech." Genkai shrugged, not quite meeting her eyes. "Hey, dog breath, don't hog all the popcorn."

Inuyasha scowled, but Kagome's elbow to the ribs stopped his bitchy reply. The hanyou dutifully passed the bowl back, and Genkai offered it to Shizuru, who shook her head, and wished heartily for a cigarette. The video finally clicked over to play and they all straightened a little as the familiar toddler appeared, looking too grave for such a fat baby.

"Hello, everyone." Prince Koenma paused for dramatic effect, and then said, "I'm sure you've all been anxious to learn the outcome of the Great Demon World Tournament."

The prince certainly liked to belabor a point. He took a good five minutes recounting why the tournament was so important, and not just to Demon World. At mention of the possibility of war, Shizuru sat up a little straighter. _That_ was something she hadn't known, and she stared at Kagome, who looked a little guilty and wouldn't quite meet her eyes. Inuyasha did, but he only shrugged and groused about Koenma taking so long to get to the damn point.

Right on cue, the Prince sighed. Knitting his fingers before him on the giant desk, he sat forward and gave them a frank look, so incongruous in one so young-seeming. "I explain this all so that you may understand why it was I had you preparing for what truly might have been a disaster of epic proportions. As it stands now…well."

They all stared at the screen, startled by the faint blush that rose across the prince's pudgy cheeks. His chagrin was rather palpable. "It seems I may have been a bit hasty…"

Genkai snorted. Like _that_ hadn't ever happened before.

"This tournament has been full of surprises…and, well, maybe I should just let you see for yourselves." The baby impatiently waved at the hidden cameraman, and the picture abruptly switched to a strange panorama of oddly-colored sky. Fluffy purple clouds dotted a horizon of fuchsia and pink, white and yellow lights glinting like fireflies above rolling hills of emerald-green with odd protrusions jutting out here and there like half-opened umbrellas.

"Hey! That's Demon World!" Kuwabara exclaimed.

Shizuru lifted a brow. It wasn't quite what she'd expected, but what, really, had she? Fire and brimstone, maybe. Certainly not all that green. And despite the weird-looking sky, it wasn't so bad. Certainly more open space than she had ever seen, raised in Tokyo's closely-packed streets, where space was at a premium.

The picture honed in on the distant lights at a dizzying pace, the flying camera sweeping a wide curve around a squat grey mound that resolved itself into a half-open arena. The stadium was packed to the hilt, the crowds overflowing into the aisles and down the wide staircases. People (if you could call them that, since many of them looked like something out of your worst nightmares) were even hanging out the windows of the upper stories, and the noise was unbelievable, until the picture shifted, once again, to a more stable position on the ground.

A pretty face suddenly filled the screen, two cat ears swiveling forward above a stylish auburn haircut. Shuzuru recognized the cat youkai at once. It figured Koto would be in the thick of things. The catty announcer had cultivated quite the following while covering the now-defunct Dark Tournaments over the past twenty years. Typical of a demoness, she didn't look a day over eighteen and was probably well over a hundred.

With her typical over-embellishment, Koto announced the end of the great tournament, thanking the fighters and committee and all that blah-blah-blah before taking a deep breath and saying grandly, **"And so I present to you the winner of this tournament and our new, sole ruler of Demon World - Enki!"**

"Who?" They all exchanged startled looks, the name unfamiliar to any of them.

Uncertain cheers filled the stadium as Koto turned and handed the mike up to a large man who came into view as the picture panned to include him. Judging by the cat demon's size, he was massive, easily upwards of eight or nine feet. He stood like a huge, unmovable hill beside her. A red hill, with horns.

"_That's_ the new king of all Demon World?" Inuyasha demanded in complete astonishment, echoing all their sentiment.

"Uh…he doesn't look so bad," Kuwabara said, trying as always to put a better face on it.

But he didn't look good, either. In fact, he looked…well, rather _un-kingly_. A bit rough around the edges. Clad in scuffed work boots, grey sweatpants and a dirty wife-beater, he looked more like a construction worker than a world-wide tournament champion and future king of Makai. Funnily enough, he bore a superficial resemblance to what Westerners depicted as the devil - red-skinned and curly-haired, with two horns on either side of his head and the requisite goatee. But while Beelzebub was considered as someone handsome and a bit dapper, this guy was rather pudgy and well, _mild_. While clearly ill-at-ease with all the attention, he had a good-humored smile on his face, rather out of place for one who had won against such dire demons as Yomi and Mukuro.

Taking a deep breath, the future king of all Demon World said, **"Well, here I am, by strange circumstance…"**

"Got that right," Inuyasha muttered.

"Shh!" Kagome waved at him, and they all listened intently as the deep, resonating voice went on to detail his plans to accept the leadership, but only for three years. Cheers rose at his decision; the crowds clearly approved. Speculations and mutters rose over who might be able to win the next tournament.

"Nice touch," Genkai smirked, and explained at Shizuru's questioning glance, "winning them over."

Ah, the carrot. She sat back, wondering where the stick might come in. This demon was clearly more than he appeared.

**"I'm only enforcing one, great law…"**

Silence reigned.

Enki coughed apologetically, and then said, **"My law is: from now on, there'll be no mischief in human world."**

Their frank astonishment mirrored the reaction of every demon in that stadium. While Spirit World had been hopeful that they might get a demon who would be willing to consider at least the _possibility_ of a peace treaty, no one had expected such sweeping changes as what Enki proposed. And while fumbling through his explanation that he was honoring an old friend's memory by enacting this law, and intended on creating a council within the week to figure out the particulars, it finally hit home to all of them that their worst fears had just been completely knocked out of the ballpark.

"Inuyasha, do you know what this means?" Kagome whispered in awe, tears in her wide brown eyes.

"What?" Kuwabara was the one to ask, clearly not understanding the powerful significance of Enki's Law. Shizuru could only shake her head.

"Peace, you idiot," Genkai snapped, much to her amusement. The old priestess scowled at the knucklehead, who still didn't get it.

"_Peace_, Kazuma," Yukina suddenly said, her red eyes bright as she stared up into his. "Think what it means. There'll be no more fighting between human and demon world…"

"Yukina?" Kuwabara questioned softly, taken aback as a tear fell with a clatter to the floor as it solidified into a hiruseki stone. The pretty demoness smiled tremulously as she took his big hands in hers.

"Think about what this means for us…I mean," she blushed sweetly, not quite meeting his eyes, "for everyone."

"Yukina," was all he could manage, voice rough with all the unspoken emotions pent up inside of him.

But his broad, capable hands trembled in hers, and that was all that really needed to be said.

Shizuru's eyes softened, and suddenly grew itchy. She swiped at them, blinking back the wetness as she watched the two young lovers.

"Damn dust," she muttered.

Genkai hid a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, etc., of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit.

**PHOENIX RISING**

Summary: Not everyone is happy when Enki wins the Demon World Tournament. A new darkness rises out of the east, threatening the fragile new kingdom, and our heroes find themselves thick in the fray.

_A/N: A rather short chapter after so long a wait. More a chance to get my hand back in the story and stir things around. =)_

_**Chapter Five**_

If there was one thing the new Queen of all Demon World knew how to do, it was throw a party. And what better way to commemorate her husband's new regime than to throw open the doors to (former) King Yomi's private stock, and let 'em have at it? Toss in some peanuts and pretzels, and voila! Instant popularity!

Being a past master of the finest vintage - heck, _every_ vintage - Koku made sure to save the best for least. Or, rather, the "least" amount of guests invited to the semi-private party on what amounted to Gandara's Nob Hill. Or "S'Nob" Hill, as she slurred it, having just finished off a few of her best friends - namely Jack, Morgan, and Mr. Hennessey.

Whatever makes you leg-less in the quickest time possible, was Koku's staunch philosophy. Which was enthusiastically seconded by Chuu, already a good three jugs to the wind.

"Have to keep up with the ladies, bledger!" he cried, when young Rinku tried to temper him. "Can't let the shielas have all the fun now, can we, mate?"

And maybe some of that liquid courage might finally kick in so Chuu could go over and talk to his sweet Natsume. Although he'd have to work on getting rid of her annoying twin brother, Kuju. The blue-haired demon hovered over the pretty demoness, still concerned that she hadn't fully recovered from her epic fight with Mukuro two days before.

"That what be a challenge, eh, bledger?" the grizzled, seven-foot-plus man asked the boy at his side.

Having no clue what the big drunk was saying, the young demon only nodded, having learned early that was the easiest path to take. Rinku let out a sigh, bored with all the booze denied him by Chuu's strict decree. The larger demon did take his guardianship seriously, when he remembered to. Sadly, this was one of those times.

Rinku glumly scanned the crowd gathered into knots here and there around the wide ballrooms thrown open for the Queen's impromptu fête. The party was in full swing, and none of their friends had shown up yet. At least, none that Rinku cared to tag after. Shishi already held sway at one end of the room, a swooning mob of adoring fan girls gathered around him. On the outskirts of _that_ group were some of the social snobs of Yomi's former court, held together by Lord Tenga with his beloved Jueru by his side. The old farts had gathered in yet another corner to stare down their long noses at the antics of Koku and her friends in the middle of the room. The Queen was currently swinging from the chandelier (literally) as her poor husband tried to coax her down.

"Come now, my darling - "

"Ah, put a sock in it, you big brick!" Koku yelled, pumping her legs to gain altitude. "Don't be such a party-pooper!"

That sally was met with laughter as the new King let out a long-suffering sigh. Clearly, connubial bliss was not something in store for the new regime. By the appalled looks on several of Yomi's former courtiers, they thought little of what might lie in store.

"Ten bucks she clears the table!" A bystander shouted, pointing at the large banquet table Yomi had once held exclusive dinners at. The table was massive, and incredibly old. The intricate scrollwork along its edging had taken a blind master craftsman over forty years to etch out. Currently pushed to one side of the immense ballroom, it was laden with the finest creations Yomi's former chefs could come up with on barely three hours' notice.

"Ha! Fifty she _breaks_ the table!" Another called out amid much laughter, and the wager was on as Koku enthusiastically pumped her legs. They were rather shapely legs, displayed to best advantage by the skin-tight leotard and tights she wore, circa 1982, in clashing magenta and electric blue. The new Queen was a huge fan of Jane Fonda.

"Let's get physical!" she cried, game to try, as several of Yomi's former servants paled and sweated over the china.

"Now, now, sweetie, I don't think - " the King said, eying the choleric chefs.

A loud crash was his only answer, followed by the roaring approval of the Queen's rowdy admirers. Glancing at the crestfallen servants, who had worked so hard on preparing the feast, the King looked pained.

ooOOOoo

"Now _this_ is a party!" Yusuke said, surveying the chaos with his trademark smirk as he arrived on the scene of the King trying to pluck his arguing wife out of the litter of broken crockery and scattered kindling.

"Indeed," Kurama said dryly at his side, casting a sidelong look at the dour frowns coming from the far corners of the room as several courtiers whispered behind their hands. Even Lord Tenga, usually so amused by the absurd, was looking a little dubious. Kurama sighed. It looked like _his_ night was going to be spent trying to do some damage control. Having previously agreed to help smooth the transition of power when Yomi first abdicated his throne, it appeared the kitsune's half-hearted promise was coming back to haunt him.

And just at the worst possible time. Kurama, ever conscious of his duty, found himself resenting it even as Sango sympathetically squeezed his hand. Kurama absently brought their joined fingers up for a kiss, looking down at her with regret. The taijiya was stunning tonight, even dressed in a simple black turtleneck and slacks. While not what _he_ would have chosen, the garments were sturdy and allowed easy movement, which the ever-practical slayer counted more important than fashion.

But Kurama wasn't one to give up easily. He found the challenge of getting the modest slayer into something more…revealing…a worthy enough endeavor. It might prove quite the test for his particular powers of persuasion. All it would take was patience, planning and persistence. Three things he excelled at, actually.

Considering the rewards - well. Kurama's green eyes glinted, and then narrowed, as he saw stodgy Lord Aten gesturing wildly from across the room.

"Go," Sango urged, seeing the panicked look in the usually phlegmatic lord. One of the three set up as an temporary triumvirate over Gandara - the others being Yomi's former Spy Master, Lord Tenga, and the fussy Lord-Mayor of the city - she knew Kurama would have his hands full. From the fishy pallor of Lord Aten's cheeks, it looked like the catfish demon's ulcer was acting up.

"Don't worry." Yusuke smirked, tossing an arm across Sango's shoulders to haul her up against him. "I'll take _good_ care of her."

Kurama's eyes flashed, a hint of gold glittering across the verdant green depths. Sango poked Yusuke in the ribs, neatly extracting herself from the former Spirit Detective's loose hold. Reassured his mate could take care of herself, even with the lascivious attentions of his friend, the tension across Kurama's shoulders relaxed minutely.

"I won't be long," he told Sango quietly, although his eyes remained on Yusuke. The Mazoku raised both hands to show he meant no offense, grinning like a fool for the threat barely hidden in that too-green gaze.

Sango nodded, and made shooing motions towards Lord Aten, who was frantically waving now for the fox's attention. As soon as Kurama reluctantly departed, she rounded on Yusuke with a scowl. The former Spirit Detective and half-human heir to the most powerful battle demon seen in more than two thousand years stepped back a pace, surprised by the anger in the slayer's eyes.

"You shouldn't tease him like that," she admonished, hands on her hips. "It isn't nice. Kurama's still trying to come to terms with everything. We're all new to this, you know."

"I know," Yusuke replied, unabashed.

"It isn't nice, Yusuke. Kurama - he may seem unaffected, but he can be as sensitive as Hiei. Even more so, in some ways."

She was deadly serious. Maybe that was why Yusuke liked her so much, that she _cared_ so much, especially about those two knuckleheads, who should learn to trust her more. Those two were strung so tight around their mate it was a wonder they didn't explode. It'd do them both good to be twitted now and then about it, just so they could finally relax and see what was right in front of them. Sango wasn't going no damn where.

Chucking the taijiya under the chin, Yusuke grinned when she stiffened. "I know."

Sango scowled. "Then quit needling them. It isn't fair."

"Hell, yes, it is," Yusuke replied, nonchalantly throwing an arm back over her narrow shoulders and looking around for the little volcano, who shouldn't be too far off.

"Unhand my mate."

Feeling the cold kiss of steel at his neck, Yusuke raised his hands in mock surrender even as he said, "Hey, there, three eyes. Wondered where you'd gotten to."

"Hiei!" Sango half-heartedly protested, shaking her head at the lethal menace fairly radiating off of the angry fire demon. His sword glittered in the candlelight, and they were attracting quite the interest in those nearby.

"Gonna use it or what?" Yusuke asked equitably, hands still raised.

"I'm still considering," Hiei said flatly, blade unwavering.

Yusuke smirked. "Be a shame to get blood all over the floor."

"Hn."

Hiei finally withdrew his sword, sheathing it. There were audible murmurs of disappointment from the audience. Demons did love a good fight. Yusuke grinned. "You sure like to make an entrance, don't you, three eyes?"

"I find your irreverence annoying," came the chilling reply as the short demon stared over at his mate, who was flushed, either by embarrassment at being the object of so much attention or angry at his antics, Yusuke couldn't tell.

"I don't like that shirt," Hiei abruptly said, eyeing the close-fitting turtleneck. While modest by youkai standards - covering the slayer from neck to wrist to hip - the sturdy knit hugged her curves.

"What's wrong with it?" the slayer asked, staring down in confusion. It seemed a practical choice, given the circumstances.

"Urasmeshi!"

They turned as Jin bounced down behind them, Touya in tow. The wind demon nearly strangled the former Spirit Detective in an enthusiastic headlock, pounding him on the back hard enough to stagger. "Well, now, don't you be looking a sight better nor yesterday!"

"Hey, there, Jin." Yusuke grinned up at his former adversary and now close friend. "Looks like you came just in time." He nodded towards the spectacle of the Queen picking bits of food out of her shapely ass while yelling for a drink. King Enki was half-heartedly trying to clear up the mess, much to the discomfiture of both servants and court.

"I'd say." Jin grinned back, and then - with a broad wink at Yusuke - turned to Sango. "Lily, lass, you do look a fair sight for a poor lad. I do be saying, that I do, that what be a nice shirt on ye."

"Mmf." Startled, Sango was suddenly surrounded by darkness as the fire demon, red eyes scathing, abruptly stripped off his coat and dropped it over her head. "Hiei!"

Struggling with the bulky folds, Sango finally managed to thrust her arms through just as Hiei buttoned the thick white collar up to her nose. She glared daggers over the top of it as he finally stepped back, satisfied.

Elbowing each other over the taijiya's predicament, Jin and Yusuke couldn't contain their laughter any longer. The peals burst forth, drawing even more unwanted attention their way as Jin whooped and Yusuke chortled, clutching one another to hold themselves up as they wiped tears from their eyes at the matching glares sent their way.

Shaking his head, Touya neatly nipped a champagne glass from the nearest passing tray. Taking a needed drink, he knew this was going to be one _long_ evening.

ooOOOoo

"Is that raspberry?" The new Queen eyed the sticky stain on her posterior with curiosity. She leaned on her husband's arm to get a better look.

"Might be the crepes," Enki absently replied as he kicked a table leg out of their way and tried to avoid looking at the cooks who had spent so much time creating the delicacies now decorating the floor.

Swiping at her ass, the Queen thoughtfully popped her finger in her mouth. "Nope, I think it's cranberry. Want some?" She offered her sticky finger to her hulking mate.

"Ah, no, my darling, that's all ri - "

"Ho, where's my drink?" She looked around, discussion forgotten as she absently wiped her fingers on her pants.

"Right here, dearest - "

"Ah, finally! Gods, Enki, will you quit hovering? You're driving me crazy - "

"He's not the only one," came the acidic whisper among titters hidden behind raised hands as the watching courtiers regarded their new King and Queen with withering disdain.

"Really, what have we come to?" An old lord complained, his fusty companion dolefully shaking his head.

"If Yomi could only see this…" Kurama caught the warning hiss as he approached the two youkai.

_*Yomi would not care,* _he thought, nodding politely as the nearest flushed, bowing stiffly. "Gomasuri."

"Lord Kurama," the other murmured, carefully avoiding his gaze and hastily backing away. Wherever the kitsune went, space cleared as others gave him a wide berth. It seemed Yusuke wasn't the only one to gain a reputation thanks to the Great Tournament. News of the singular brutality of Shigure's death had preceded the kitsune. An unexpected development, but one he should have anticipated.

But not something, actually, Kurama would go back and change, even with this unforeseen complication. Always chary of the half-human fox the old king had brought into his counsel less than a year ago, it seemed the upper echelons of Gandaran society now frankly feared him.

That proved a hindrance as Kurama made the rounds, nodding here and there, hoping to catch a stray word or two before the conversations abruptly died at his approach. Not that he needed to second-guess the patent disdain of most of Yomi's court. Kurama had hoped to help soothe ruffled tempers by offering reassurance, but it seemed useless now if no one would even talk to him. He would have to leave the swaying of public opinion to Lord Tenga, who delighted in courtly intrigues.

Not everyone, however, appeared intimidated by his new reputation. Kurama's skin prickled, and turning, he caught the steady gaze of a tall individual standing off by himself in one corner. Dressed plainly in a room of gaudy finery, the demon's simple white vest was clasped with a gold medallion over a wrapped linen kilt that came to the knee. The slice of tanned chest visible was firmly muscled, and his only jewelry was a thick band of gold around his upper arm. His features were predatory, almost hawk-like, but Kurama could not read the demon's nature, as he was carefully hiding his jyaki. Tall and lean, his head was shaved except for a long topknot of black hair that fell like a horse-tail down his back. Dark eyes, black as obsidian, regarded the kitsune coolly.

Curious, Kurama turned to the closest sycophant. "Lord Imgry, do you know who that is?"

"Who, my lord?" Imgry peered about in confusion, his owlish features made ridiculous by the gesture. Kurama half-raised his arm to point, but paused, abruptly realizing the demon had disappeared. Scanning the room carefully, he could not locate him anywhere. Dismissing Imgry with a banal excuse, the kitsune frowned.


End file.
